An American financial firm has filed a lawsuit in the United States against the Democratic Republic of Congo and several senior officials, alleging an attempted corruption scheme.
The complaint, seen by AFP, accuses high-ranking figures of demanding bribes linked to a project to modernise the country’s financial infrastructure.
Idaho-based PayServices said it was invited in late 2023 to help revitalise the state-owned bank and digitise the national economy.
The company said it accepted the proposal and invested more than $72 million in technology and services under the agreement.
The contract, it added, required the Congolese state to pay $20 million within two weeks of the deal being signed.
PayServices alleged that several officials, acting without President Felix Tshisekedi’s knowledge, later conspired to demand illegal payments.
Those named include the ministers overseeing state enterprises and finance, as well as the governor of the central bank.
When the company refused, it claims the defendants sabotaged the project and breached the contract to force its collapse.
PayServices is now seeking $20 million in damages, along with reimbursement of its full investment in the aborted venture.
The state enterprises ministry rejected the accusations, calling them baseless and accusing the firm of misrepresenting its legal status.
The ministry said authorities halted all administrative engagement to protect public funds from what it described as an unauthorised initiative.
In its filing, PayServices said Tshisekedi appeared shocked during a meeting last May when informed of alleged internal obstruction.
The case now places Congo’s reform ambitions under harsh judicial light, where law, power and fragile trust collide.